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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26972683">For a Bowl of Fruit</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/N16/pseuds/N16'>N16</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Overheard [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angry Merlin (Merlin), Eavesdropping, Gen, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), One Shot, Protective Merlin (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:07:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,428</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26972683</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/N16/pseuds/N16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur overhears a conspiracy to usurp the throne, and his servant is at the heart of it. Would Merlin ever betray him? What other secrets might he be hiding?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Overheard [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2030971</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>741</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>For a Bowl of Fruit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Arthur woke up shivering. He was bundled in several blankets, but it was bitingly cold in the spacious tent. Looking over, he saw the fire dying.</p><p>"Merlin," he grunted. "Fire."</p><p>He waited a moment, but when he got no response, he pushed himself up halfway. "<em>Merlin</em>. The fire needs wood!" He grappled blindly for something to throw, but as his mind grew more alert, he realized Merlin's own blankets were empty.</p><p>"Honestly," he muttered to himself. "Sometimes I wonder why I even have a servant." Shoving himself free of his bedding, he went to add more wood to the fire himself, only to discover the stack of wood Merlin had collected earlier that day was gone.</p><p>"I'm the bloody king of Camelot, and apparently I gather my own firewood," he grumbled, grabbing his shoes and coat and stepping outside.</p><p>This late, the druid camp was still and quiet. Arthur still felt uncomfortable walking through their tents, although the four days he had spent there had helped lessen his anxiety into a more tempered uneasiness. He was doing his best to honor his word and respect the druids, and as part of that, he had been trying to learn more about them. Gideon, who led this particular camp, had kindly let him and a small handful of knights spend a few days amongst them. Arthur had not enjoyed it, but he felt it was discomfort well spent.</p><p>As he made his way to the edge of the camp, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye, and he recognized the outline immediately.</p><p><em>Merlin</em>.</p><p>His servant wasn't headed towards the woods, so he wasn't gathering more firewood. Where was he going?</p><p>Merlin stopped, looked around quickly as though checking to make sure he wasn't seen, and then ducked into a large tent on the outskirts of the camp.</p><p>So Merlin wasn't just <em>going</em> somewhere. He was <em>sneaking</em> somewhere.</p><p>Thoughts of firewood forgotten, Arthur followed, crouching just outside of the tent. He found if he stood at just the right angle, he had a limited view through the door to the inside. It was large, even larger than the generous tent they had provided for him. It held a long table and a blazing fire. Fortunately, the fire was near enough Arthur could feel it thawing out some of the frozenness in his own limbs.</p><p>"Merlin!" Gideon greeted him warmly from a seat at the table. "Come in out of the cold. Please, have a seat. And help yourself – I took the liberty of providing a little something for you to eat."</p><p>"Thank you!" Merlin sounded comfortable and cheerful as he sat across from the druid. Arthur couldn't see his face clearly from where he hid, but he seemed like his normal self. Not shifty at all. "Fresh fruit in the middle of winter? This is fantastic."</p><p>"One of the many perks of magic," Gideon said, and Arthur cringed. He wanted to grab the fruit away from Merlin, but his servant didn't seem the least bit bothered by the idea of eating food grown with magic.</p><p>"Sometimes the castle kitchens get imports of fruits like these during the winter, but they certainly don't go to the servants," Merlin said with a laugh.</p><p>"I take it that's a privilege reserved for the king," Gideon commented dryly, and Merlin shrugged.</p><p>"This is great though. I love grapes."</p><p>"I'm glad," Gideon said, smiling like an affectionate uncle. "But of course, I didn't ask you here to talk about fruit. Thank you, by the way, for taking the time to speak with me."</p><p>"Thank you for meeting with me so late. Arthur keeps me pretty busy during the day. Oh shoot!" Merlin glanced toward the opening of the tent, and Arthur ducked back to ensure he remained out of sight. "I just remembered, I was supposed to go check on the horses and make sure they're warm enough. I can do that after this, though."</p><p>"He certainly does work you hard, doesn't he?" Gideon mused.</p><p>Merlin shrugged again. "I'm his servant," he said, as though that explained everything.</p><p>"And I imagine you wouldn't want him to know we're having this little chat."</p><p>Merlin laughed. "Would you?" he asked, and Arthur flinched. What did that mean?</p><p>"No, I certainly wouldn't," Gideon confirmed, his voice turning more serious. "I've grown to know your king over the past few days, and I admit, I have concerns."</p><p>"Really?" Merlin sounded surprised. "I know he's not fond of magic, and you two aren't exactly best friends yet, but he truly is trying to understand."</p><p>"I appreciate that he is showing more acceptance of the druids, but we are hardly the only people in Camelot who practice magic." Gideon sounded like he was trying to explain something to a child. "Those people are still persecuted. Sorcery is still a crime punishable by death."</p><p>"No one has been executed for sorcery since Uther died," Merlin argued. "Not unless they were using that sorcery for another crime, like murder or treason."</p><p>This was true. Arthur simply hadn't thought it made sense to devote resources to pursuing people who were doing no harm, sorcerers or otherwise. He certainly didn't <em>like</em> sorcery, but he didn't believe driving it out of Camelot needed to be a priority the way his father had.</p><p>"That's true today," Gideon said solemnly. "But the laws stand. And it's only a matter of time."</p><p>Merlin stopped eating, and when he spoke again, the cheeriness had disappeared from his voice. He sounded guarded. "Why did you bring me here, Gideon? I thought you wanted to discuss the fulfillment of the prophecies."</p><p><em>What prophecies? </em>Arthur wondered.</p><p>"I do," Gideon assured him, his voice earnest. "We are living in a time foretold long ago. Destiny has a purpose for you and for your king. But I fear if we simply stand back and wait, that destiny may go unfulfilled."</p><p>"Whatever you're trying to say, say it," Merlin demanded, and there was an authority in his voice that raised Arthur's eyebrows. This was a side of Merlin he hadn't seen before.</p><p>"The prophecies say magic will return to Camelot, and I am afraid that, left to his own devices, young King Arthur will not fulfill that prophecy," Gideon said bluntly. He sounded almost apologetic. "I believe he needs your help."</p><p>Arthur wasn't sure which part of that was more insane: Arthur bringing magic back, or Merlin somehow being the catalyst for him to do so.</p><p>"That's what I'm trying to do," Merlin said. "Help Arthur. Literally, my entire life is trying to help Arthur."</p><p>"I know that," Gideon assured him hastily. "But Merlin…I think a more hands-on approach might be necessary. I'm not sure what you're doing is truly helping. Not the way you're meant to."</p><p>"Gideon, please speak plainly. It is late and I am too tired to sort through riddles," Merlin said, and indeed, Arthur could hear the fatigue in his voice.</p><p>"Arthur has the love of his people, and he is destined to do great things. But prophecies only tell the surface of such things, not the way in which they happen. If Arthur is to return magic to Camelot, we must make that happen, using whatever means we are able. We can ensure it happens, Merlin. Not just try, but succeed with absolute certainty. With you in the proper position, we can determine Camelot's course, not Arthur. You can ensure not just the return of magic, but the security and prosperity of Camelot for the entirety of his reign. Just as the prophecy says."</p><p>Gideon looked at Merlin expectantly, and there was a long silence before Merlin spoke again. When he did, his voice was careful and unreadable.</p><p>"Let me be sure I understand you clearly, Gideon. You propose to enchant Arthur into cooperation. Make him a compliant puppet. And behind the scenes, I would pull the strings."</p><p>Shock filled Arthur. He knew conspiracies against him were part of the package of being king, but it was rather a different thing to hear it unfolding in front of him. And Merlin wasn't exactly rejecting the idea immediately, which was more unnerving than Arthur cared to think about.</p><p>Gideon laughed uncomfortably. "It sounds rather crass when you phrase it like that, but yes. Think about it, Merlin! You would be king in all but name. You play the fool with your king and his knights, but you and I both know you are capable of far greater things."</p><p>"So," Merlin said thoughtfully, "I would perhaps be the Chief Advisor, or something along those lines. And Arthur could have his feasts and perform knighting ceremonies, and I would make the actual political decisions. I would rule Camelot."</p><p>"Yes," Gideon confirmed, a triumphant smile crossing his face. "There would be no need for Arthur to be harmed - I can tell you're fond of him. But you could leave behind this life of servitude and live a life in comfort, Merlin. You would be respected. You would be admired."</p><p>To Arthur's horror, he saw Merlin nod slowly.</p><p>His father had warned him of how dangerous a malcontent servant could be. If you let them have too much knowledge or too much power, the inconsequential servant could become your enemy's most influential pawn.</p><p>Merlin had as much knowledge and power as any servant in Camelot. In fact, he had more knowledge and power than some of the knights, when it really came down to it. But it had never once, before now, occurred to Arthur that Merlin could be a threat to him. He hadn't thought Merlin was malcontent. He thought Merlin was…well, <em>happy</em> to be Arthur's servant.</p><p>"You have two paths in front of you, Merlin," Gideon said. "I think the choice is obvious."</p><p>There was another beat of silence, then Merlin said, "Yes, I think it is." He spoke firmly and thoughtfully. "I could spend the rest of my life being thought of as clumsy and foolish. Cleaning, polishing, mucking, serving. Underestimated and underappreciated." Gideon beamed at him.</p><p>"Or as an alternative," he continued slowly, "I could betray a great king in exchange for some pretty words…" he reached out and lightly tapped the dish in front of him. "…and a bowl of fruit. Yes, Gideon. I think this is an easy decision for me."</p><p>An enormous grin stretched across Arthur's face, and he had to clamp a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing aloud. That was Merlin. Cheeky, bold, with just a tiny bit of a temper.</p><p>And loyal. Unwaveringly loyal.</p><p>Plus, he had called Arthur a great king, and Arthur couldn't deny that filled him with pride. Sure, Merlin had said it to him before, but it was different hearing him say it to someone else when Arthur wasn't present. Not that anyone would ever mistake Merlin for a bootlicker, but it felt more sincere when he heard Merlin say it to someone else.</p><p>It took Gideon longer to process Merlin's words than it had Arthur. His smile froze, and then he looked puzzled for just a moment. Then he pushed his avuncular expression back into place.</p><p>"Now, Merlin, listen to me—"</p><p>"No," Merlin cut him off severely. "I have already listened to you, and now you will listen to me."</p><p>Arthur sat up straighter. He thought Merlin had been uncharacteristically authoritative before, but this was something else entirely. Merlin's voice rang with the confidence and determination of someone who knew they would be obeyed.</p><p>Based on this voice, Merlin could be a king after all.</p><p>"You know the prophecies, but that does not give you any right to interfere with them. We're talking about the prophecies of the <em>Once and Future King</em>. Not the prophecies of the Once and Future Sorcerer, not the prophecies of the Once and Future Druid. Don't you get it? The golden age of Camelot, the time of Albion, peace and prosperity and yes, <em>the return of magic </em>– these are not things we can just force to happen! They'll happen because Camelot is led by a great king!"</p><p>Merlin had called him the Once and Future King before, and Arthur had never bothered to ask him what it meant. There was a prophecy? And what did sorcery have to do with all of this?</p><p>"King Arthur is not <em>fulfilling</em> the prophecy!" Gideon protested, only to be cut off again.</p><p>"King Arthur has hardly been on the throne a year!" Merlin snapped. "Did you expect the entire prophecy to be fulfilled in the first six months?" Merlin stopped, and then laughed. "You did, didn't you?" he asked incredulously. "You expected it all to be done in the first six months."</p><p>"Merlin," Gideon said urgently, the affectionate uncle gone. "You must understand—"</p><p>"Why," Merlin interrupted, emphasizing each word harshly, "<em>do you call me Merlin</em>?"</p><p>Well now. That was an odd question.</p><p>Gideon laughed uncomfortably. "That's your name."</p><p>"Not to the druids. Not unless there's someone else around to potentially overhear."</p><p>"I'm just being prudent," Gideon explained patiently. "In case someone in your party <em>were</em> to overhear."</p><p>"If Arthur or his knights were to overhear this conversation, I think my name would be the least of their concerns. That's not it. Why do you call me Merlin?"</p><p>Gideon swallowed and genuinely did not seem to know how to answer.</p><p>"I'll tell you why," Merlin said. "Because you think <em>Merlin</em> is just a servant, and as such, he is weak and a little bit foolish, and his loyalties run shallow. It's a common mistake, but one you should have known better than to make. You thought <em>Merlin</em> would be easy to manipulate. And so that's what you call me. Because you want me to remember that I'm Merlin, and forget that I am Emrys. But I am Emrys, Gideon, and you would do well to remember that."</p><p>Arthur stared in confusion. Why in the world was Merlin calling himself Emrys?</p><p>"And as Emrys," Merlin continued, "I will play the role destined for me in the prophecies."</p><p>"Prophecies are not black and white, and many go unfulfilled," Gideon insisted. "But the persecution of magic must stop! The prophecies don't matter, not really. For all we know, Arthur Pendragon might not even be the Once and Future King!"</p><p>Merlin shoved his chair back and stood up, and for the first time since the start of the conversation, Arthur saw his face. His lips were pressed, his nostrils flaring, his eyes blazing. And maybe it was his voice, or maybe it was the set of his shoulders, or maybe it was something else intangible, but Merlin emitted a power that was, Arthur had to admit, a little bit frightening.</p><p>"That's not yours to declare, is it, Gideon?" he hissed. "You are nothing more than a spectator in this. But I am Emrys, and I say Arthur Pendragon <em>is</em> the Once and Future King! I do not believe it or suspect it or hope it. I <em>know</em> it is true."</p><p>"You are making the wrong choice," Gideon answered coldly. "You need to think long and hard about where your loyalties lie."</p><p>Merlin let out an incredulous laugh, his face twisted with fearsome anger. "I am the most powerful sorcerer in the world, and I start every day by emptying Arthur's chamber pot. Do you honestly believe this is the life I would choose to lead if I had not already <em>thought long and hard</em> <em>about where my loyalties lie</em>?"</p><p>Arthur froze. He surely must have misheard.</p><p><em>I am the most powerful sorcerer in the world</em>.</p><p>Not <em>Merlin</em>. He was just too…well, Merlin. He <em>must</em> have misheard.</p><p>But he hadn't. He knew he hadn't.</p><p>"That's just my point," Gideon insisted. "You could do so much more than just be a servant."</p><p>Merlin sat down again, and his voice abruptly switched from angry to pleading. "Gideon, don't you understand? This is my destiny. And I know Arthur, and I am <em>honored</em> this is my destiny. I will gladly spend the rest of my days as just a servant, if that's truly the best way I can help him. Because I was <em>born</em> to help and protect the Once and Future King."</p><p>And then Merlin's demeanor changed again. Still calm, still quiet, but he turned hard.</p><p>"And that leads me to what I believe to be the most important question in this little chat of ours. Tell me, Gideon. Are you a threat to my king?"</p><p>Part of Arthur was surprised to see the fear in Gideon's eyes, because who in their right mind would be afraid of Merlin? But truthfully, if he were in Gideon's position, Arthur knew he might be tempted to cower as well. The Merlin he had seen tonight had a formidable power to him.</p><p>If he were to believe Merlin, it was the power of a sorcerer.</p><p>"If I said yes," Gideon asked, staring with curious caution at Merlin, "if I said I meant your king harm, would you kill me?"</p><p>"Yes, I would." Merlin replied immediately, and Arthur felt his stomach plunge. "If I had to."</p><p>"You've killed for him before," Gideon stated flatly.</p><p>It wasn't a question, but Merlin answered. "Only when I saw no other option."</p><p>Arthur began to construct a box in his mind. He took this incomprehensible idea, that Merlin killed people to protect him, and put it in the box. Then he took the idea Merlin was a powerful sorcerer and added that as well, along with the thought that there were prophecies about his reign as king, and the fact that a druid had just tried to convince Merlin to usurp the throne. He would take all of those things out of the box later and deal with them.</p><p>Right now, he needed to figure out if Merlin was going to try to kill their host.</p><p>Gideon stared long and hard at Merlin.</p><p>"You're sure he's the Once and Future King?" he asked skeptically.</p><p>"I'm sure."</p><p>Gideon finally nodded and raised his hands in surrender. "All right, then. If you're sure, I will step back and allow destiny to play out as it will. Your king has nothing to fear from me."</p><p>Merlin studied his face, then smiled. "Good." And in the space of a heartbeat, he switched back to cheerful Merlin. He grabbed the bowl of fruit, sliding it closer to himself and popping a berry in his mouth before standing up.</p><p>"You know, Gideon," he said, "you've waited your whole life for the day when the Once and Future King would reign. I know it doesn't look quite how you imagined it, but don't let your anger at Uther keep you from missing out on the fulfillment of everything you've hoped for." And with another bright smile, Merlin headed for the entrance to the tent.</p><p>Arthur glanced around frantically, but there was nowhere to hide.</p><p>"Spread the word, Gideon." Merlin grinned broadly, although Gideon wouldn't be able to see it from behind. "The time of Albion is upon us. The Once and Future King sits on the throne of Camelot."</p><p>"Emrys?" Gideon called just as Merlin reached the door. Merlin stopped and looked back, and Arthur slid into shadows beside the tent just as Merlin turned away. He wasn't really hidden, but he was less obvious, as long as Merlin didn't look his direction.</p><p>"Yes?" Merlin asked.</p><p>"You're not what I expected," Gideon said. Arthur couldn't tell if he meant it as a complement or not, but Merlin gave him a cocky grin. The powerful sorcerer was gone, replaced by the servant Arthur knew.</p><p>"I never am," he said cheekily, and as he walked out, he popped a grape in the air and caught it in his mouth, striding directly past Arthur in the shadows.</p><p>Arthur stood there for a moment, trying to decide what to do next. What would Merlin do when he got back to the tent and Arthur wasn't there?</p><p>But then he heard Merlin curse under his breath, and his servant spun back around the opposite direction. "The horses! Arthur is going to kill me!"</p><p>And Merlin sped by Arthur again.</p><p>Once Merlin's footsteps disappeared, Arthur very carefully crept back to the tent. His limbs were nearly numb with cold, but firewood was the furthest thing from his mind.</p><p>Which item to take out of the box first?</p><p>Arthur feigned sleep when Merlin came in several minutes later, and he listened as Merlin fed and stoked the fire with the wood he had brought. Within a few minutes, the tent was warm again.</p>
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